


angels on the rise

by flowercoast



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Background Beau/Jester, F/F, background Fjord/Caduceus, listen the concept of them together is just neat, slight tw for violence: more details in the notes, this idea wouldnt leave my head though because They, this is entirely self indulgent idc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-24 20:00:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22023637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flowercoast/pseuds/flowercoast
Summary: Yasha and Reani meet and grow together.
Relationships: Yasha/Reanminere "Reani" (Critical Role)
Comments: 27
Kudos: 80





	angels on the rise

**Author's Note:**

> listen. yasha learning to love again and growing her wings and she and reani flying in the air together. reani reconsidering her worldview on “good” people and “bad” people because yasha is supposed to be bad but. they’re in love is what i’m saying. also i had to look up “wing part names birds” for this and it’s kinda neat. also side beaujester and fjorclay because i Love Them.  
> SLIGHT TW FOR VIOLENCE: there's a scene in here where Yasha encourages someone else to kill her and holds her own sword up to her throat. it's nothing too big (basically a paragraph) and i don't go into graphic detail about it but if you still wanna skip the part starts at the line "Reani’s staring at her, mouth set into a tight line." and ends at "The moment passes". You could also just skip the whole rockslide scene in the cave.

Uthodurn is nice. The style is everywhere, ranging from it’s dwarven underground theme to it’s eleven looking houses. Mostly, it looks like someone decided to squish two different styles together and call it Uthodurn. It’s unusual, which is why Yasha likes it. 

Even the damp smell of the earth reminds Yasha of why she missed Xhorhas’ particular brand of unusual so much. You just couldn’t replicate this anywhere else. 

“Can we go see Reani? I’ve got so much cool stuff to show her!” Jester skips along the road, pulling Beau along with her. Her bells jingle loudly as she moves but no one seems to pay much attention to the tiefling. It strikes Yasha then, that they’ve all been here before - without her. For a moment she forgot that there was a time when she wasn’t there with them. It’s new, forgetting that part of her past. New in the good way. 

“We can go after we check in on the forge, Jes,” Beau replies, a fond smile on her face. 

That’s new too. Beau and Jester. Yasha was a little surprised, when she came back, to see how much she had missed and apparently their relationship was a big one. It only took a couple of days to see how good together they were, though. It reminds Yasha of her and Zuala, sometimes.  _ Before _ . 

It still aches. 

“Who’s Reani?” Yasha asks to distract herself. 

“Oh no!” Nott and Jester shriek at the same time. Jester pauses mid-skip and turns around comically causing Beau to nearly fall onto her face. Nott, sitting atop Caleb’s shoulders at eye level with Yasha, leans forward and places her hands on Yasha’s cheeks very seriously. 

Jester pouts. “I totally forgot you’ve never met her!” 

“She’s the best.” Nott squishes Yasha’s cheeks together. “I think you’ll love her! She’s an aasimar like you.” 

“She has a halo above her head.” Caduceus pipes in, ambling behind Yasha with his arm looped through Fjord’s. The two are walking exceptionally slow for them to have only just caught up to the rest of them, now stopped completely in the middle of the road. Yasha side eyes Fjord’s blush briefly before glancing back to Nott, her yellow eyes wide and excited. 

“Um.” Caleb steps away from Yasha to break Nott’s hold on her as he throws the aasimar a sympathetic look. “I think you’ll like her. But. This Reani she’s a little…” 

“Harsh on the good-guy bad-guy thing. She’s like a cop for that shit.” Beau finishes. 

Fjord mimes running a finger over his throat. “Ah, yeah, the last time we mentioned our ‘other aasimar friend’ she didn’t take it too well.“ 

Uncomfortable, Yasha frowns and clears her throat. Jester notices this and pouts. “No, she’ll totally love you, Yasha!” The tiefling comes closer to loop her free arm around Yasha’s. “We can show her the truth! You’re the greatest!” 

“Sure, Jester.” Yasha raises an eyebrow dubiously and casts another glance around the group. The rest of them don’t look too convinced either - except for Caduceus, who’s nodding along. 

“To Reani’s!” 

“Jes, we’re going to the forge first.” 

“To the forge and then Reani’s!”

~~~

Reani’s house is nice. Small, but nice. It reminds Yasha of the huts she had back in her tribe. Small and compact, but filled with many trinkets and memorabilia. Stacked on the shelves are heaps of little tokens that Yasha only just recognizes. The bigger ones are easier, like the mandible of a Razor Beetle or a skull of a Troll. Even the hipbone of a Urophant is easy to recognize, but from then on it gets very hard to place just what some things on Reani’s shelf are, much less where they come from. Some things Yasha can guess at - the little ones to the left look like gems, pressed into small spheres the likes of which can be found mainly from Roshona. Others? Yasha barely has a clue. They’re nice to look at though. Especially the flowers.

Yasha trails a hand over the bright yellow petals of a healthy looking flower on the center of the shelf, watching in awe as it holds strong. 

“Marvelous, isn’t it?” Caduceus reaches out beside her to touch the stem of the flower. 

“There’s no light down here…” Yasha touches the damp soil. “How?” 

Caduceus shrugs. “Reani’s pretty great.” 

Yasha hums and glances over to where the other aasimar is preparing food and drinks in the kitchen with Jester. They’re both laughing as they mix something in a large bowl, and Reani’s eyes flicker over in Yasha’s direction briefly. Yasha’s breath catches in her chest for a moment, but she shakes the feeling away and smiles awkwardly. Reani grins back. 

“Why aren’t you in there with them?” Yasha turns back to Caduceus, who’s sipping on a cup of tea that definitely wasn’t in his hand a minute ago. 

“You seemed lonely out here.” Caduceus smiles calmly at her. “Plus I like her garden.” 

Yasha smiles too, the awkwardness from earlier fading away. She gestures back to the yellow flower. “What kind of flower is this?” 

“This is a daffodil.” 

“Huh.” 

“Pretty cool, right?” Caduceus pats her shoulder. “Growth.” He wanders off to the couch, near where Fjord, Caleb, Nott, and Beau crowd around Reani’s small coffee table to play cards. If Nott’s screech and Beau’s responding cackle is anything to go by, Beau’s winning. Caduceus leans over to Fjord once he’s seated to whisper something in the half orc’s ear. The two smile at each other, softly. 

“Would you like a flower crown?” 

Yasha jumps are the sudden appearance of Reani, apparently done with work in the kitchen. In Reani’s hands, a floral wreath of petals and intertwined stems, the blues and yellows and purples all running together like paint. 

Tentatively, Yasha nods. 

A grin lights up Reani’s face, causing her golden eyes to light up even more.  _ Like the daffodil _ , Yasha briefly thinks, before Reani’s standing on her toes to place the crown on Yasha’s head. 

“It looks amazing!” Reani compliments, squeezing Yasha’s shoulder. 

Yasha stares, more than a little confused by her energy. “Uh, thank you.” 

When Reani grins back, a warmth settles in Yasha’s gut, only partially due to the relief at having won Reani over. The other cause of that warmth is something Yasha doesn’t want to think about. Can’t think about.

After blinking awkwardly for a few moments in silence, Reani squeezes Yasha’s arm again. She smiles broadly before gliding back into the kitchen, where Jester appears to be overfilling the pastries. 

Yasha turns back to the daffodil on the shelf with a sigh. A tiny little sprout grows just next to the flower itself, small but healthily green. Humming, Yasha prods at it gently, watching as it unfolds into vibrant yellows before her eyes. 

“How did I not notice you before?” Yasha whispers to it. 

Reani’s house is very nice, Yasha decides. Maybe even better than her old place with the tribe. The flowers are a point in Reani’s favor, and - 

Suddenly, Yasha remembers the book at her side. She lays a hand down on it, still staring at the daffodil. 

Reani’s nice. Uthodurn is nice. 

Yasha’s chest burns, and she looks away from the daffodil, down towards the worn leather of her scrapbook.

~~~

A Gorgon isn’t too hard to fight - Yasha’s dealt with them before, and apparently, so has Reani. When Umagorn first gave them the mission, Yasha was ecstatic, eager to get her hands and sword into something that would bleed rather than sit around and think all day. Thinking for too long nowadays only leads to trouble. 

So, a gorgon is entirely a breeze for Yasha. Two Gorgons and a Roc? That’s well. A little harder. 

Yasha ducks behind a large boulder as the Roc screeches nearby in the air, hovering dangerously close to where Beau and Fjord are fending off the second Gorgon. Across the dirt path, Yasha can see Jester and Nott, huddled together against the unmoving body of the first gorgon they killed. Nott catches her gaze and points up to the looming Roc helplessly. 

“We need to go!” Caduceus crashes into the space behind the boulder next to Yasha, clutching a bloodied shoulder. Yasha places her hand on him to heal him, her aasimar powers just enough to stem the bleeding. Caduceus throws her a grateful look and peeks back over the boulder to shout at Beau and Fjord. “The Roc’s coming!”

Yasha looks up to see the Roc diving down, towards where Beau and Fjord are busy slashing into the final Gorgon. Heart in her throat, she leaps up to charge towards them, help them  _ somehow _ , but Reani’s already three steps ahead as she throws down a small black bead in between where Beau and Fjord stand. Yasha gasps as a blue ball of force wraps around the two, causing the Roc to crash into the force field unceremoniously. It screeches, loud enough for Yasha to wince and cover her ears. A tug on her arm, and Caduceus is pulling her towards the mountains, where Caleb, Nott, and Reani are running towards a large cluster of caves. 

As she runs alongside Caduceus, Yasha looks back at where her friends are, still surrounded by the Roc. Jester is crouched closer to them now, her hands alight with green magic as the bubble of force begins to fade around Beau and Fjord. The Roc circles them, angry and screeching as it claws heavily against the impenetrable ball. After another second, the ball pops loudly, and Jester surges forward with near supernatural speed to grab ahold Beau and Dimension Door away. Angrily, the Roc lunges at Fjord, who screams in response and casts Thunder Step. Yasha turns back to the cave hastily, praying to the Stormlord that they’re all safe. It takes a moment, but her eyes focus and she sees all three of them, safe but winded in the largest cave. 

“Yasha, Caduceus! Look out!” Jester’s scream is undercut by the frighteningly loud screech of the Roc, it’s shadow large and looming above Yasha and Caduceus. The cave is so close, but Yasha knows the Roc flies faster than they’ll ever run. She pushes herself faster and braces for impact.

Yasha watches as Reani pushes to the mouth of the cave, in front of everyone else. She slams her hands into the ground, and the earth shakes and trembles as a shockwave moves through the dirt. Yasha stumbles when the dirt under her feet starts to shift with the rumblings of Reani’s power, and she falls onto her hands and knees. Caduceus just barely manages to stay upright, but Yasha can tell he’s getting very tired very fast. 

“On your left!” Fjord shouts, and Yasha quickly rolls to her right, feeling a heavy hiss of wind buffet her as the Roc’s razor sharp talons close around the space she occupied only moments before. 

Yasha doesn’t hesitate to push herself off of the ground and continue running, her heart beating loudly in her ears. She catches up to Caduceus quickly and the two flinch as the Roc circles back towards them with a deafening screech, it’s talons outstretched dangerously. 

“Hold on!” Reani yells, which is all the warning she gives before dragging her hands through the dirt, towards her. The earth under Caduceus and Yasha pulls into the cavern like a magnetic field, propelling them faster than their normal running speed and, thankfully, faster than the Roc that’s still rocketing towards them. The ground moving picks up the slack where Yasha’s tired body cannot, and she’s only five feet from the cave entrance when the spell finally wears out. 

With her hand, Yasha lays her hand on Caduceus’ shoulder, pushing him ahead of her to get him to the safety of the cave first. Beau and Fjord grab Caduceus and quickly haul him deeper into the cave. Over the pounding of blood in her ears Yasha hears the screech of the Roc, uncomfortably close. 

Reani reaches out to grasp Yasha’s arm. “Come on!” 

She’s pulled into the mouth of the cave just as the Roc crashes into the side of the stone mountain, and everyone screams as the entrance seals itself shut with a heavy cascade of rocks. Yasha tugs Reani close to her, shielding the druid from the brunt of the falling rocks as they pound into her back. 

Yasha feels like she’s been chewed by a Mammoth by the time the rocks stop falling.

“Ow,” She groans out, flexing her arms around Reani more securely. 

“Yasha!” In the dark, Reani’s golden eyes glow like fireflies, and Yasha focuses on that instead of the searing pain that crawls up her spine. “Are you okay?” 

Yasha just groans in response. 

“I have one more spell slot,” Reani whispers, close enough that Yasha can feel the druid’s breaths against her throat. “I’m gonna make a dome.” Yasha feels the distinct movements of vines on the floor as Reani places her hand in the limited space between their bodies. The vines push outward, moving rocks carefully until a small bubble of vines and foliage have lifted away enough space for them to sit up. 

Reani moves away, and Yasha ignores how she misses the contact and warmth. The druid carefully sits up and prods at the wall with an outstretched finger. “That should hold up for a bit, but not for long. Hopefully the others are working on getting us out.” Reani’s golden eyes focus back on Yasha, still on the floor. “How are you?”

Yasha grits her teeth and hisses painfully as she sits up, her back flaring with pain and protest. “I’ll live.” 

It’s silent for a minute too long, and Yasha’s tempted to call out to Reani to make sure that the other girl didn’t accidentally get concussed with a stray rock before the dome lights up with a bright light that makes Yasha squint wearily. Her eyes adjust after a moment to find Reani’s right hand awash in red flame, illuminating their surroundings. In the new light, Yasha sweeps her eyes over Reani’s frame, taking note of the bruises on her arm and on her cheek. 

“Yasha!” Reani gasps.

In response, Yasha tenses, eyes snapping back up to Reani’s alarmed gaze. “What? What’s wrong?” 

Reani frowns and crawls forward, shuffling on her knees towards Yasha, who stays still and tense in confusion. The confusion only bubbles over into worry when Reani stops just in front of her, their knees knocking together as Reani leans in closer. 

“What are you -“ 

“What is this?” Reani’s reaches over Yasha’s shoulder with her free hand, and Yasha sucks in a breath at the feeling of a finger running over the broad bones of her skeletal wings. They must’ve popped out instinctually when the rock slide happened. 

The guilt crawls up her throat, along with the distinct feeling of dread. Her wings. They’re such a stark reminder of her past - how much she still needs to atone for her mistakes. Yasha clears her throat uncomfortably and shifts away just enough for Reani’s hand to fall off her wing. The druid rocks back on her heels, eyes piercing into Yasha with a quizzical gaze.

“My wings,” Yasha whispers, tense and nervous. Her eyes don’t leave Reani’s and she watches as the spark of recognition flares in those golden irises. The set of the druid’s jaw goes tight and her eyes harden quickly, the shock fading into a distant anger that Yasha knows well. 

Reani inches backwards. “You’re bad, aren’t you?”

Yasha looks away.

“You’re fallen?” Reani frowns. “Samliel told me about fallen angels but…” 

In the heavy silence, Yasha thinks of Obann, and all the harm she caused with him. She thinks of bodies, lying face down in pools of blood in the Cobalt Soul. She thinks of Fjord’s terrified face when he was pinned between her and the Laughing Hand. She remembers wondering which he thought was worse. They’re both monsters. 

A touch on her hands startles Yasha, and she looks up, resigned. 

Reani’s staring at her, mouth set into a tight line. “I’m supposed to kill you.”

Yasha thinks about Zuala. She nods.

Those golden eyes, glinting in the dark from the firelight, sweep across her face. Reani breathes out harshly. Despite the resolute hardness in her eyes, a nervous flutter to her eyelids betrays her indecision. In the silence, Yasha places a heavy hand over Reani’s. 

“If that’s what you think is best.” Reani’s eyes widen, the anger in them morphing back into confusion. With a sharp ring of metal scraping across the floor, Yasha unsheathes Skingorger, holding it up to her own throat. Slowly, Yasha takes Reani’s hand with her free one, holding it up to the handle of the blade and not releasing until Reani’s fingers are wrapped tightly onto the handles. The weight of the blade presses heavy against her throat, a cool trickle of blood dripping down her neck in the too-warm heat of the dome. She closes her eyes.

Yasha breathes in slowly, picturing Zuala in the green fields they used to frequent. The yellow sunlight cutting through the grey skies of Xhorhas’ wasteland frames her like an angel as she sits under a tall, weeping tree. She pauses from weaving a flower crown and looks straight up at Yasha. In this vision, Zuala smiles sadly at her. 

_ I’m coming.  _

The moment passes. Sweat beads down the side of her face and Yasha swallows hard against the press of the blade, eyes still closed. Another moment, and all Yasha can hear is Reani’s soft breathing and the pounding of her own heart in her ears. A minute. Yasha breathes out heavily. Her eyes blink open to Reani staring at her with a conflicted look in her eyes. 

“I don’t want to kill you,” Reani says slowly, once their gazes meet. 

Yasha laughs humorlessly. “Do you have a choice?”

Their gazes hold, unblinking. The sharp edge of Skingorger presses a little harder into her throat and Yasha welcomes it, wincing only a little against the burn. Reani frowns and leans closer, her eyes sweeping over every inch of Yasha’s face. Yasha just watches this time, waiting. 

After a moment of staring, the pressure on the blade lets up as Reani nods, her eyes clearer than before. Yasha wonders what she sees. It feels like Reani’s looking into her soul, past all the thorns and the blood and the death. Reani holds her gaze, a certain determination set into the lines of her mouth.

“I do.” Skingorger clatters to the floor as Reani tosses it aside. “I have a choice.” The fire in Reani’s hand extinguishes when her hands come up to cover over the wound on Yasha’s throat. Reani breathes out shakily as the light of her healing hands replaces the darkness for a brief moment, framing her softly with a golden glow. The stinging pain of the cut fades, and the two are left in the dark again, breathing softly. 

Quietly, slowly, Reani’s fire lights again, twisting like a dancer in her hand. “You have a choice too,” She whispers. 

Yasha bites her lip. “I’m not sure I deserve one.” 

“Yasha.” Reani shuffles closer, close enough that their knees press together. “I thought I was supposed to kill you two seconds ago.” When Yasha looks away, Reani stops, only continuing when Yasha looks back at her. “I thought… I thought that you were bad, just for being who you are. But you saved my life, Yasha. I don’t know what this means about Samliel or being bad or being good - I think I might always be confused with that but -“ Reani leans forward and places her free hand in the upturned palm of Yasha’s warm hand, gripping tight. “Everyone deserves a choice.” 

The warmth in Reani’s eyes makes Yasha’s throat constrict like the blade of Skingorger is still pressed against it. She wants to look away, but finds it impossible - Reani’s gaze is far too magnetic. The moment holds in the air heavily, Yasha and Reani staring at each other with a gaze full of understanding and unspoken words. The fields of Xhorhas come rushing back to her, looking at Reani against the backdrop of the vine dome. This time, when Yasha thinks about Zuala, her wife is grinning at her, happiness crinkling the corners of her eyes just like she remembers it. Flowers blossom inside of the dome, and Yasha breathes out all the tension in her body.

“Yasha, this is Nott! You can reply to this message.” Yasha startles, physically jumping as Nott’s scratchy voice fills her head. 

Reani’s gaze turns alarmed. “What? What’s wrong?” 

Yasha points to her head and mouths, “It’s Nott.” Out loud, she says, “Uh. Reani made a dome. The rocks are still here though.” 

“Don’t move! We’re getting you out! You can reply to this message.” 

Reani leans forward as if that’ll help Nott hear her somehow. “Tell Nott we don’t have a long time until the dome falls.” The druid glances upward dubiously. “Maybe like, 10 minutes. Or 8.” She squints. “5, if something bad happens.”

A fond smile tugs at Yasha’s lips, and she huffs a laugh. “Reani says the dome might fall in 5 minutes.” 

“Shit! Fuck! Shit!” Nott cuts off. “Okay, don’t panic. Beau and Jester have a plan. Don’t worry, we’ll get you out in time… Hopefully. Bye!” 

Yasha’s head grows silent again, and she just stares at Reani. The white-haired aasimar stares back, a smile curling across her face. A laugh bubbles up, soft and unbidden and full of unspeakable relief. Yasha grins fondly. Reani grins back.

Careful of the fire still lit in the palm of her hand, Reani surges forward, wrapping an arm around Yasha’s neck and pressing in close. Yasha wraps both arms around Reani, and the dome grows dark as Reani dispels the fire in her palm. They clutch each other in the dark, and Yasha breathes in the smell of campfires and earth from Reani’s white hair. Reani presses her forehead against Yasha’s throat, her breaths little puffs of warm air against the barbarian’s collarbones. Reani’s hands move down to press against the base of Yasha’s bony wings.

“You aren’t bad, Yasha.”

Yasha holds her tighter. 

~~~

The Mighty Nein visit Reani more and more as time passes, and Yasha would be lying if she said that her heart doesn’t ache, just a little, every time she has to leave. 

If the small flutter in Yasha’s stomach grows a little bigger the more they visit Reani, well. It’s just a stomachache. 

On their fourth visit to Uthodurn, the Mighty Nein decide to stay for three days while they wait for a contact to arrive in the city. During that time, they rest at Reani’s, relaxing and exploring - a welcome breather from the chaos of Tharizdun and the god-war that’s been rushing towards them like a stampede. On the second day, Jester drags Nott and Beau out the door towards the market district of Uthodurn. Caduceus and Fjord go not long after to a temple of Melora they discovered during their last visit. Caleb’s already at to the library, which leaves Yasha and Reani to have a nice brunch in Reani’s living room. 

“You’ve grown new flowers,” Yasha says through a mouthful of cake, pointing to a particularly tall looking purple flower on the windowsill.

Reani giggles at her as her eyes light up like they usually do whenever she’s talking about her flowers and plants. “I’ve gotten five new babies. I found them in the Savalirwood the last time I went.” She stands abruptly and tugs on Yasha’s hand. “Come on, let me show you.” 

The druid drags Yasha to to windowsill, towards where the five newly potted flowers stand tall despite the little sunlight they receive. “Look. They’re all purple.” True enough, the five plants are different shades of the color, all vibrant and pretty in their own way. 

“They’re very beautiful,” Yasha agrees. 

“Right?” Reani points at the first. “This one’s a Hydrangea.” The one next to it: “A Morning Glory.” Next: “Petunia.” After that: “Sweet Pea.” Lastly: “Allium.” 

Yasha softly touches the petal of the lavender Hydrangea. “I like this one.” She smiles, only a little bit bittersweet at the edges. “It reminds me of a friend.” 

The flower seems to stand a little straighter under her fingertips, its petals blooming a little more than before. 

“You can have it, if you want.” 

Frowning, Yasha turns to Reani. “I couldn’t -“ 

“Why not?” Reani’s already reaching for the Hydrangea, despite Yasha’s protests. 

“I’m always on the road,” Yasha watches warily as Reani takes the pot in both her hands, casting a spell that makes turns the flower’s petals more vibrantly purple. “I don’t think I can take care of something.” 

“What about a petal?”

“Wouldn’t the flower miss it?” 

“Yash,” Reani’s already stroking the outermost petal. “Petals can grow back.” She plucks a lavender petal from the flower, stroking the injury softly as green magic ebbs from her fingers. 

She turns back to Yasha, holding out the petal expectantly. “Just add this to your book.” At Yasha’s hesitance, her bottom lip juts out. “Please?” 

“Ah…” Yasha sighs and takes the petal from Reani. “That look isn’t fair.” 

Reani laughs. “Works every time.” 

“Thank you,” Yasha says, reaching inside her pouch for her scrapbook. She opens it up to a new blank page and presses the flower to the leatherbound book, holding it there tightly until she’s sure it’ll stick. 

As Yasha goes to put her scrapbook away, a loose paper slides out from the thin pages, fluttering to the ground softly. It lands faceup: a detailed drawing of a woman with long hair and kind eyes, caught mid-laughter. Yasha freezes as she stares down at the image, vividly remembering bright sunshine and loud laughter carrying over the buzzing green meadows. 

Reani comes into her line of sight, crouching down and placing careful fingertips over the border of the paper to trace the lines of Jester’s work. Her fingers sweep over the solid line of the horizon, following it’s length to crawl over the long stretching field of wildflowers and the softer strokes of the woman’s laughing frame, outlined in a golden glow. Reani pauses at the woman’s face and looks up at Yasha, eyes unreadable but her expression soft.    
  


“Is this…”

Yasha nods, and when she speaks her voice is tight and low. “Zuala.” She clears her throat and crouches down next to Reani, ignoring the gathering of tears at the corners of her eyes. Reaching out with shaking fingers, Yasha follows the path that Reani took only a moment before, but where Reani paused at Zuala’s face, Yasha pushes on, tracing reverently over the features of a broad smile and happy eyes. Her fingers rest there, not shaking but still unsteady as she stares down at the soft drawing. 

One tear spills down her chin and onto the floor, only missing the edge of the paper by an inch. Reani lifts a careful hand to Yasha’s cheek, her touch warm where Yasha leans into it. Gentle fingers sweep over her cheekbone and wipe the tears away as they come rushing down, faster now. 

“She’s very beautiful,” Reani whispers, reaching up with her other hand to cup Yasha’s cheek. 

Yasha nods wordlessly. She doesn’t trust her voice to not break, so instead she lifts her hand off of the page and places it over Reani’s, squeezing lightly. 

They stay like that for a handful of steady minutes, Reani sweeping away Yasha’s tears as the barbarian stays kneeling on the floor. 

As soon as the tears stop running like twin rivers, Yasha closes her eyes and breathes in deep. When she opens them back up, Reani’s golden eyes are already looking at her, gaze warm and grounding. 

Yasha smiles at her. “Thank you.”

“Always.” Reani leans forward and kisses Yasha’s forehead.

The answering blush in Yasha’s cheeks brings a small giggle out of Reani as the druid backs away, placing both of her hands on either side of Jester’s drawing to carefully pick it up from the floor. Yasha only takes a second to mourn the absence of Reani’s warmth before she stands, following Reani as she takes the paper over to the living room coffee table. Yasha watches with interest as Reani lays the drawing flat, straightening out it’s wrinkled edges before turning around and rifling through one of the nearby drawers. 

“What are you doing?” Yasha asks curiously. 

Reani laughs. “You’ll see.”

“Helpful.”

“As always,” Reani quips back, before emerging from the drawer with a wooden frame and a panel of glass. She returns to the coffee table and sets the drawing in between the glass and the wooden board, sealing it inside softly. With a glow of green magic, vines crawl up the sides of the picture frame, blooming flowers of all different colors as they bind the whole frame together. When the vines have covered every inch of the wood, Reani picks it back up and holds the finished picture frame out to Yasha, grinning widely. 

“Reani... “ 

“It won’t get smudged now.” 

Yasha’s breath catches in her lungs - a bright, hopeful warmth blooming in her chest as her fingers brush over Reani’s when she takes the framed drawing of Zuala in her hands. Nothing is shaking, not now. Now it’s warm, and Yasha takes the time to smile both at Reani and the drawing. 

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen a meadow,” Yasha says slowly, tucking the new picture frame into her bag. She turns back to Reani with a small grin. “Would you like to go on a walk?”

Reani’s answering smile is bright enough to chase away any leftover scrap of sadness as the druid grabs Yasha’s hand, pulling her out the door and onto the streets of Uthodurn.

~~~

“What kinds of flowers are these?” Yasha holds up the flower crown Reani gave to her, so long ago. 

Reani leans forward, her hands stilling on the braid she was making in Yasha’s hair. “The white ones are Tulips and Daisies, and the pink ones are Gladioli.”

Yasha hums and brushes her fingers along the pink and yellow petals idly as Reani leans back to finish off the intricate braid. The field around them is quiet but alive in the midmorning sunlight, and the green grass under their legs sways along to the small breeze. Distantly, Yasha thinks she hears a bird’s song, high and clear. Yasha breathes in the peace and calm, leaning into Reani’s touch and letting the golden sunlight warm her face. Then, just because she can, Yasha begins singing. It’s nothing more than an old celestial song Yasha learned growing up in the wastes of Xhorhas, and her voice is horribly off-key from not singing in years, but it makes her happy, so she continues on. 

Her voice drifts along the breeze, winding in and out of the trees and filling up the meadow around them. To Yasha’s surprise, when she reaches the chorus of the song, Reani joins her in singing, and their voices mix together, only slightly off key as it bounces over the glade. 

“I didn’t know you knew that song,” Yasha says, once the song tapers off with the last note. 

Even though Yasha can’t see her, the barbarian can practically feel the shrug as Reani replies, “It’s a classic where I’m from.” A tug on her hair and Reani’s leaning forward again, her golden eyes catching Yasha’s own. “Small world, huh?” 

Yasha smiles and flicks Reani’s nose with her fingers. “Very.” 

Reani’s nose scrunches up as she mock pouts at Yasha before sitting back on her heels and continuing the braid where she left off. “It has a very pretty message. The melody is very nice, too.” The druid sweeps some more of Yasha’s hair into the braid. “It’s a very appropriate song.” 

The last sentence causes Yasha to pause and puzzle over the lyrics of the old celestial hymn, remembering old, long forgotten tales that the elders used to speak about over the fires on cold winter nights. Yasha sings a couple of lines under her breath, and the story of the Dark Angel comes to her like a bucket of freezing water.

“Oh,” Yasha breathes out, fingers clenching suddenly around the flower crown still in her hand. It’s not enough to crush the thing, but Yasha still feels the flowers curl under her palm, anyways. 

The Dark Angel was something that a younger Yasha had a hard time grasping - that nearly everyone in the tribe had a hard time truly understanding. There were times when Yasha even wondered if the story even had use. A fallen angel, being a hero and saving the day? If not impossible, definitely unheard of, and it made little sense to Yasha, who always assumed that fallen angels were nothing more than hell’s vessels. Now the story warms her, even if she hadn’t wanted to bring it up in the first place. 

“I used to not like the story.” Reani pauses. “I like the story now, though.”

Curiosity might be her downfall. “Does Samliel?” 

“... No.”

If Reani’s hands tug a little too hard at Yasha’s hair and if her fingers shake, just a little bit, against Yasha’s neck, then Yasha doesn’t comment on it. She hums to fill the silence as she chews over the best way to say what she’s thinking. 

“I think… I think that it is good. For you to like things for yourself. If anything, it’s a good story. If it’s more than that…” Yasha hears Reani’s breath hitch expectantly. “If it’s more than that, then it’s growth.” When Reani stays silent for a moment too long, Yasha turns, meeting Reani’s golden gaze with her own sure conviction. 

Reani stares into her eyes until the doubt in her face bleeds away into an assured acceptance. She nods. “The story is more than that.” Her hand comes up to guide Yasha back into place, picking up the braid with a little more confidence. Yasha feels the press of Reani’s palm, laid flat against her neck, warming her skin. “Sometimes, the goodness is hidden, and it takes a bit to come back out… Most of the time, there are no good or bad people. Just people who do good or bad things…” Reani pauses and laughs, loudly and a little hysterically. “Man this is hard.” 

Yasha reaches her hand back to place it over Reani’s, still resting on her neck. “It always is. This is good though, I think.” 

“It is good,” Reani agrees, before taking her hand back to return to the braid. “This is almost finished, by the way.” 

“Ah, it only took two hours,” Yasha teases, laughing loudly when Reani guffaws. 

“Wow not even a ‘thank you for doing a two hour long braid for me, Reani’.” 

“Thank you.” 

“No problem.” Reani tugs lightly on the end of her braid. “And done!” A hand mirror is shoved in front of her face as Reani hurriedly holds it up, nearly vibrating with anticipation. “What do you think?” 

The braid is as intricate as it could be, with different parts from her hair done up in tiny braids that come together to form a larger braid at the back of her head. All in all, the hairstyle is regal, almost as if Yasha’s wearing a crown. It reminds Yasha of the times Zuala used to braid her hair, too. 

“It’s beautiful,” Yasha says, voice full of wonder as she strokes her fingers over the large braid. She turns around to look at Reani. “I love it.” 

“It suits you.” Reani grins. 

Staring at Reani’s grin, the blossoming in her chest grows, turning into a storm of fluttering leaves inside of her. Where the sunlight glints off of Reani’s golden eyes, highlighting the freckles bunched around her smiling cheeks, Yasha feels the warmth flood her gut. Her wide white smile is blinding, and for once Yasha is content to stare, shameless. 

A small gust of wind blows through Yasha’s hair. On it, laughter.  _ Zuala’s _ . It brings a warmth, a steady sureness to everything in this moment. This capsule in time. 

“Yasha!” Reani’s eyes widen and she gasps, leaning forward to place one hand on the barbarian’s shoulder. Habitually, Yasha places her hand over Reani’s, feeling where the other aasimar stretches further, around to her back. 

“Yasha,” Reani begins, awe and wonder laced through her tone, spoken soft as if in prayer. Her eyes are wide, wondrous and alight with magic that it makes Yasha’s heart clench. “Look.” 

Turning her head, Yasha follows the path from Reani’s elbow up to her hand, stopping right where the aasimar is stroking a finger over the edge of a feathered white wing. Yasha gasps, fingers freezing on Reani’s hand. 

For a few brief moments, all is still as Reani continues to stroke light touches on the wings Yasha never thought would come. 

“Yasha…” Reani whispers. 

Yasha breathes out raggedly and turns to face her, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. 

“Reani, I -“ 

Reani winds her other hand behind Yasha’s neck and pulls her in, wrapping her strong arms behind Yasha’s back and holding her close. All the love, the warmth, the relief comes crashing in all at once, and Yasha holds on to Reani desperately as sobs wrack through her body. 

Fingers stroke through Yasha’s tangled hair, coming down to trace over the patagium of her wings before starting all over again. “I got you,” Reani whispers. “I’m so proud of you.” 

The breeze blows through the meadow, causing the grass to sway as the two of them stay pressed together, holding each other.

~~~ 

“You ready?” Reani squeezes Yasha’s hands, already hovering a foot off the ground with her wings outstretched. 

“Um.” Yasha flexes her own wings nervously. Her white primaries flare and the sensitivity she feels from the breeze blowing through her wingtips causes a tingle up her spine. It’s new. Yasha’s still on the fence on how to feel about it all. 

Reani, still holding on to Yasha’s hands, flies a little higher in the air. “Don’t worry Yash, I won’t let go.” 

“I know you won’t,” Yasha replies, voice strong on the wind. She purses her lips and turns her head to look back at her own wings. She’s not sure how to tell Reani that she’s worried her wings will fade away at any momentat any moment, so she settles for: “It’s not you who I don’t trust right now.” 

“Yasha.” Reani squeezes Yasha’s hands, lacing their fingers together. Her eyes glimmer vibrantly in the glow of the setting sun, crinkled in the corners from her soft smile. A warmth fills Yasha at the encouragement in her gaze, starting from her hands and reaching back to her wings. “You can do this.” 

With another strong flap of her wings, Reani flies further above Yasha, breaking the connection between their hands and Yasha watches, still unsure with her hands outstretched. The barbarian takes a deep breath, and faintly registers a quieter voice on the breeze. 

“ _ I’m with you _ .”

Yasha closes her eyes and unfurls her wings. The wind picks up around her, and a clap of thunder booms in the distance. Yasha jumps into the air, flapping her wings like she saw Reani doing a moment ago. She braces for the ground to come rushing back under her feet, but the impact never comes. 

“Yash! You’re doing it!” Reani whoops, closer now. “Open your eyes!” 

Cracking one eye open, Yasha sees her feet first, hovering five feet off the ground. The surprise and shock that crawls up her throat nearly makes her wingbeats grow off-kilter, but she rights herself quickly, a laugh bubbling up her throat. After the surprise wears off, Yasha angles herself higher, flying up to where Reani is hovering in the air. Relief and happiness fills her chest in equal measure, and Yasha has to physically stop herself from bowling Reani over in her haste to get to the other aasimar. Instead, she settles for crashing into a large hug. 

“Thank you,” Yasha gasps, voice tight with straining emotion. “Thank you.” Her arms wrap tight around Reani’s midsection, clutching on like a lifeline. The warm weight of Reani’s own arms settles across her neck like a warm blanket, and fingers stroke lightly along Yasha’s newly feathered wings.

After a few moments, Reani pulls away, much to Yasha’s disappointment. She doesn’t go far - still in the circle of Yasha’s arms, Reani reaches her hands up to cup Yasha’s cheeks, wiping away the tears as they fall. “This feels familiar.” 

Yasha laughs wetly. “Only a little.”

“Thank you,” Reani whispers, voice barely heard over the steady beating of their strong wings. Her eyes are soft and her touch warm on Yasha’s cold wind-blasted skin, and the corners of Reani’s mouth tick up in the fond smile that Yasha knows by heart. 

“For what?” 

Reani shrugs, and the intensity in her golden eyes nearly causes Yasha’s heart to stop. Everything is warm and full here. Reani leans forward to press her forehead against Yasha’s. “I dunno. Everything.”

“Thank you too,” Yasha whispers back, her hands flexing where they’re splayed on Reani’s back, still too unsure to touch Reani’s wings herself. “For everything.” 

The breeze picks up around them, and, with matching wing beats, they propel themselves higher into the air. Framed by the setting sun on the horizon and still holding on to each other, the warmth in Yasha’s chest grows tenfold, and as the tears dry on her cheeks she stares steadily at Reani. For the first time in a long time, she feels grounded. Fifty feet in the air in Reani’s arms and Yasha can breathe again. Thunder crackles aboveabove, closer now.

“He’s happy.” Reani points out, her gaze cast somewhere past Yasha. 

Yasha breathes out softly and grins. “So am I.” 

When Reani meets her gaze, the sunlight catches on her hair, her halo glowing brighter than Yasha’s ever seen it. The hands on her cheeks slide to the back of her neck, tugging her closer as Reani’s grin widens, full fulland bright. 

“Me too,” Reani says, and presses her lips to Yasha’s. The sky around them darkens, cracking with lightning and booming with thunder so loud it nearly hurts Yasha’s ears. The wind picks up around them too, but instead of pushing against them it seems to propel them even higher, guiding their movements along the currents of air. Despite the whistling breeze rushing through their wings and the heavy rain clouds looming over their heads, the space they’re in is warm and impossibly light. Yasha pulls Reani closer to her, breathing in her homey scent of earth and warm spices. 

When they break apart, the sun is halfway over the horizon and the moon rises in the sky like a winking light. Reani and Yasha spend another handful of quiet moments staring at each other, smiles soft and hearts full.

Reani tugs at Yasha’s braid, a mischievous grin crawling across her face. “I’ll race you back down.” With that, she closes her wings and starts plummeting, the sounds of her joyful yells echoing throughout the valley.

Yasha laughs, loud and wild, and takes only a moment to stare up into the storm before she closes her eyes and falls. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading this entirely self indulgent thing! i never meant for this to be over 3k and yet here we are hehe  
> catch me on tumblr @flowercoasts to scream abt critical role, beaujester, this crackship, and other stuff!


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